


Friends In Strange Places

by Dirty_Corza



Series: Arian Cousland [2]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Character Study, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-16
Updated: 2016-04-16
Packaged: 2018-06-02 16:15:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6573214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dirty_Corza/pseuds/Dirty_Corza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arian Cousland and her unexpected friendship with Morrigan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friends In Strange Places

The first months of traveling with Morrigan had been difficult. For all that she had argued in favor of taking Morrigan along, Arian didn’t like the woman. She was useful, but Arian had never expected her to become a friend. 

When Arian and Alistair finally stopped dancing around each other, Morrigan had surprised her by noticing, by caring. Her comments were pointed, delicate things, revealing things Arian and Alistair hadn’t wanted to admit. If it came down to ending the blight or protecting Alistair, what would she choose? Arian hadn’t known then how heavy Morrigan’s questions would be.

It had made Arian wonder, how often Morrigan seemed sad when talking about the two of them as friends. As if something was going on that Morrigan wanted to tell her, but couldn’t. Even after everything with Flemeth, when Arian discovered Morrigan was someone she’d kill for, there was something Morrigan was biting back, something that made her say “friend” as if it was only temporary. As if there would come a day when Arian would take it all back.

After the landsmeet, it all came into startling focus. Morrigan offered her ritual, and Arian couldn’t miss the way she wouldn’t meet her eye. A way to save her lover, a way to be sure they would survive. Arian looked at the resignation on Morrigan’s face, and knew there was nothing she could say to make her believe this wasn’t the end of their friendship. Morrigan spoke of saving her life as if there was no way Arian could forgive her for it.

“Come to me after,” Arian had whispered to Alistair, kissing him softly. “I love you, I need you.” 

Arian hadn’t been able to meet Morrigan’s eye, not in that moment when she didn’t know her own mind. There was too much to be thinking about: the relief that she and Alistair could both live, the jealousy that it was so easy for Morrigan to conceive a child, the sharp bite of betrayal more to do with the fact Morrigan told her she would leave without saying goodbye than that Morrigan was going to sleep with Alistair.

Arian had known her mind well enough to know she didn’t want to stop Morrigan from leaving, but even after promising it, she wasn’t sure she could stand to let her leave without following, at least to say goodbye.


End file.
